Battle Scars
by Jennifer Collins
Summary: A strange newcomer with a dark past appears in Bonnie's room, and Dolly tends to his wounds.
1. Stormy Night

Disclaimer: I don't own the Toy Story movies.

**Battle Scars  
**By Jennifer Collins

It was a cold and stormy evening. The toys in Bonnie's house were taking advantage of the fact that she and her mom were still at the daycare center. Dolly the ragdoll walked lazily through the room, checking on her friends.

In the corner, Trixie the dinosaur was on the computer. Her face was scrunched up in an intense expression, her tongue sticking out the right side of her mouth as she concentrated on what was probably another online video game.

A few feet away, the plush peas in a pod were huddled on the couch with Totoro. They were watching a scary movie, despite Dolly's warnings that it would give them nightmares later on. Dolly shook her head as she lolled past.

In the next room, Mr. Pricklepants and Buttercup were underneath the kitchen chairs, engaged in a deep conversation. Dolly figured it had to do with whatever drama Pricklepants wanted to perform next. With a grin, she decided that she'd join them and see what was up.

Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shook the house. A nearby bolt of lightning crackled and lit the whole house up with a bright blue light before everything went dark.

"Aw man!" Trixie complained as the computer monitor beeped loudly and then flickered off. "I was just about to get to the last level!"

Behind her, the peas were whining as they rolled down onto the floor. "This is a catastrophe!" Pricklepants groaned with his hand to his forehead.

"Okay, okay," Dolly called. "Everyone settle down. The power will probably come back on in a few minutes."

The toys barely had enough time to get their bearings in the sudden darkness when the front door opened and they all had to freeze into toy mode.

"Hmm… power seems to be out here too," Mrs. Anderson said with a frown. "Okay, Bonnie. Why don't you wait here while I go get some flashlights and candles?" Her foot bumped into Totoro. "And gather up all your toys," she added. "I told you not to leave them on the floor."

She disappeared into the kitchen and the toys were relieved to be scooped up into Bonnie's loving arms.

"Silly Mr. Pricklepants. Go to your room!" Bonnie playfully chastised them as she carried them the short distance into her room and set them on the floor in there. She threw her wet backpack onto her wooden table before turning to exit.

Moments later, she returned with two scented candles, which she placed on her nightstand. "There ya go," she said with a warm smile. "Now you guys can see!" She patted Dolly on the head and whirled around to leave the room again. "You guys behave yourselves! Mom and I are going to watch t.v. and drink hot cocoa. I'll be back in time for bed."

The toys watched her fondly as she left.

"Now what?" Buttercup asked Dolly, a little disappointed that she wasn't staying.

Dolly thought for a moment. "How about telling scary stories by candlelight?" She suggested.

"Uh-uh!" The peas protested in unison as they shuddered. "No more scary stories!"

"I told you guys not to watch that movie," Dolly reminded them sternly as Totoro moved to console them.

Out of the corner of her eye, Trixie saw Bonnie's backpack start to move. "What's that?" she wondered. "A new friend?"

The toys turned their attention to the tea table. "Well, should we help him out?" Buttercup asked.

Dolly rolled her googly eyes. "You assume it's a 'him.'"

Trixie laughed. "Yeah, maybe it's a girl toy. Or another dinosaur," she giggled.

"Well, don't just stand there," Buttercup said.

Thunder shook the house again. The toys heard the zipper start to move.

"M-maybe it's not a nice toy," Peatey feared.

"Y-yeah.. m-maybe it's a m-monster," Peatrice added.

"Will you three stop?" Dolly warned. "You're going to cause a panic, and that is no way to welcome our new friend."

Trixie's tiny eyes were wide. "What if they're right? It could be a mean dinosaur!"

Lightning sizzled outside and another clap of thunder roared nearby. The zipper flew open and out stepped… _BOOM!_

The newcomer was only illuminated by the lightning for a second before it faded and one of the candles blew out. A low groan escaped from the figure. The only feature that the other toys could make out was his hair sticking on end…

"Oh no! Wolfman!" The peas shouted.


	2. The Stranger

Dolly shook her head and rolled her eyes again. The storm was making her a little uneasy, but she didn't want the others, and especially not this new stranger to know that. "It's not Wolfman," she insisted. She looked up at the table. "Hello friend. My name is Dolly."

The stranger greeted them with a low grunt.

Dolly strained her eyes to get a good look at him. "How about moving closer to the candle so we could see you?"

The stranger obeyed and the toys gasped at his rugged appearance. He was a small clown doll dressed in faded bright colors. He had two puffs of tangled blue hair sticking out from either side of his head. His pale white face was streaked with dirt. What made him intimidating was not only the fact that he appeared to be a very old toy, but that his black eyes were empty and tired looking. He had a deep blush on either cheek, but that didn't brighten up his face at all. His painted red mouth was turned down into a haunted frown. The other toys could tell that wherever this toy was from, he'd been through a lot.

"Um…" Dolly was the first to speak up while the others gaped open-mouthed at him. "Won't you tell us your name?"

After taking in his rough exterior, she didn't know why she was expecting a light-hearted, high-pitched clown voice, but for some reason she found that she was surprised when he responded. The clown answered her in a low, rather unenthusiastic and somewhat menacing, deep voice, "Chuckles."

"Of course," Buttercup whispered to her. Out loud, he said, "Welcome to Bonnie's room, Chuckles!"

The newcomer narrowed his dark, almost lifeless eyes as he strained to take in their appearances.

"We're friends," Trixie promised. Bonnie's toys each took turns introducing themselves.

He grunted again in response.

There was dead silence for a few long minutes, but then the lights came on and everybody cheered as they went about their own business.

Dolly watched from her perch on the floor as Chuckles pursed his wide lips and blew out the candle with one quick and loud blow. She thought his fluid movement was almost… magical…

"You're not getting infatuated with him, are you?" Trixie asked in a loud whisper.

Chuckles shrugged when he saw that the girls were still looking up at him. "It's safer that way."

For a moment, Dolly was horrified, then she realized that he meant the candle.

"Whaaa…?" Dolly was puzzled as she tore her gaze away from the clown and regarded Trixie's concerned expression.

Trixie giggled. "I never would have guessed that you'd be interested in the bad boy type."

Dolly placed a hand on her hip. "This coming from a toy with an online boyfriend."

"Hey! He's not my boyfriend!" Trixie stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"Whatever," Dolly said, a little sarcastically.

"Seriously, though," Trixie said as she nudged the doll with her horn. "I think maybe we should stay away."


End file.
